This invention is related to vehicle anti-theft devices, and more particularly to a removable protective jacket for enclosing those components mounted adjacent the ignition key housing in an automotive steering column.
In recent years, many attempts have been devised for preventing the theft of automotive vehicles. For a period of time, many vehicles were stolen because the thieves could readily pull out the ignition key cylinder and start the car. To combat this problem, some inventors devised a jacket that mounted on the steering column with a housing that enclosed the ignition key housing to prevent anyone from removing the ignition key cylinder. However, the housing for the ignition key cylinder had to be removed by the user before he could operate the vehicle. Frequently, it would be too much effort for him to continually mount and then remove the housing so that he eventually discontinued using the protective portion of the jacket.
Other forms of protective jackets enabled the user to insert his key into the ignition switch, but prevented forceable removal of the ignition key cylinder.
In recent years, automotive manufacturers have devised an ignition key cylinder that is extremely difficult to remove. Thieves have gotten around this problem by breaking the cover around that portion of the steering column adjacent the turn signal lever. This cover is formed of a plastic that can be readily broken in order to gain access into the steering column. In this portion of the steering column, a spring-loaded plunger is mounted for engaging the steering wheel lock. This can be easily retracted once the cover was broken. In other cases the ignition circuit can be readily activated.
One solution to this problem was disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,167,222 which issued to Ahmed El Bindari on Sept. 11, 1979, and comprised an armored jacket permanently mounted about the steering column.